Lead pencil



Nov.. 26, 1940. J, GoRDoN LEAD PENCIL Filed sept. 14, 1940 Jacob @ord/on a lill' Cil Patented Nov. 216, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEAD PENcIL Jacob Gordon, Washington, D. C. Application September 1li, 1940, Serial No. 356,839

` K (ci. 12o-17) 6 Claims.

The invention relates to lead pencils of the general type in which the lead is fed from the pencil tip, as required, simply by sliding a manually operable member longitudinally of the pencil.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a pencil of the type set forth in which new and improved provision is made for feeding the lead from the pencil tip.

A further object is to provide a rather simple and inexpensive construction which may be easily manufactured and one which will be troublefree.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the `novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but at .right angles thereto and showing a number of the parts in elevation.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the lead magazine and the means below the same for guiding and feeding the lead.

' Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inner casing.

Figures 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views on lines 5-5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1.

A preferred construction has been disclosed and will be rather specically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

The pencil casing C consists of an inner tubular casing 1 and an outer tubular casing 8. The upper end of the inner casing 1 terminates below the upper end of the outer casing 8 to leave a space in which a sleeve 9 holding an eraser I0, may be inserted. It is. preferable that said outer casing 8 be provided with one or more internal abutments llftocontact with the upper extremity of the inner casing 1 to hold said inner casing normally against upward movement within said outer casing. The lower end of the inner casing 1 is providedwith an end wall I2 having a central opening I3 through which a lead-guiding tube Il passes. said tubebeing frictionally held or otherwise held in lsaid opening. The lower end of the tube I4 projects downwardly to quite an extent from the casing endwall I2, and the upper end I5 oi' said ltube 1li is enlarged and provided with a shoulder I8 which rests 'snugly on said end wall I2. "A tapered cap I1 is providedvto4 close thelower end of the outer 'casing 8 and. to snugly receive the lower end of the lead-guiding tube Il, said cap I1 having an opening I8 through which the lowermost of the pieces of lead I3 extends.

For purposes to appear, the inner casing 1I is formed with an opening 20 near its lower end, with a longitudinal slot 2| extending from said opening to its upper extremity, and with a lateral notch 22 in one'wall of said slot 2|. The

outer casing 8 is also provided with a slot 23l which, when the two casings are assembled, cornmunicates with the opening 20 and extends from the upper end of this opening to the lower extremity of the casing 8, the lower end of said slot 23, however, being of course closed by the cap I1. This cap may be held on the casing 8 by friction, screw threads, or by any other suitable provision.

Within the upper portion of thev inner casing 1, is a lead magazine 24 of tubular form, said magazine having a lateral stud 25 which is received in the notch 22 of the inner casing 1, after said magazine 24 is downwardly pushed into said casing and turned. The lower end of the magazine 24 is equipped with a downwardly projecting lead-guiding tube 26, and the magazine bottom 21 declines to said tube to guide the pieces of lead I9 into the same from the magazine.

Slidable vertically in the inner casing 1 below the xed tube 26, is a longitudinally split leadguiding and feeding tube 21, said tube 21 having l an enlarged head 28 at its upper end, which head whereby the two may cooperate in limiting the upward movement of the split tube 21, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The lower end of the split tube 21 is slidably received in the enlarged upper end I5 of the lead-guiding tube I4 previously described.

At opposite sides of its split, the tube 21 is provided with lateral lugs 3l, and slightly below these lugs, a sleeve 32 slidably surrounds said tube 21, said sleeve being provided with upwardly projecting, rather blunt wedges 33 whose tips are normally received between the lugs 3| at opposite sides of the tube split. A manually operable finger-piece 34 is provided at the exterior of the pencil, for operating the sleeve 32 to effect a lead feeding operation, said finger-piece being cono seen in Fig. 6, causing it to wedge normally into said slot 23, thereby preventing it from 'being accldentally moved. Upward'sliding of` the fingerpiece 34 will cause the sleeve 32, wedges 33 and A lugs 3I to lift the split lead-feeding and guiding tube 21, untilthe socket bottom 30 strikes the lower end of the upper lead-guiding tube 26. 5 During this upward movement of the tube 21, any lead gripped by this tube is of course lifted with it. As soon as the ascent of the tube 21 is complete, however, further upward movementof the finger-piece 34 causes the wedges 33 to separate the lugs 3|, thereby expanding the tube 21 from gripping engagement with the lead and permitting the latter tovagain drop to its previous position. As soon as the finger-piece 34 is released, the tube 21 again contracts under its own resiliency into gripping engagement with the lead, and during this contraction, the lugs 3I cam the blunt wedges 33 downwardly out of operative relation therewith. It will thus be seen that with the tube 21 elevated from its normal position and engaged with the lead, that downward sliding of said tube 21 to said normal position, will feed the lead from 'the pencil tip. To so move said tube 21, I provide a coiled spring 31, the upper end of which bears against the lead Amagazine 24 and the lower end of which abuts the head 28 of said tube 21.

The interior of tube 21 may of course be somewhat roughened -if desired for better gripping engagement with the lead. Also, as the lower leadguiding tube I4 must hold the lead against accidental upward sliding during use of the pencil, this tube I4 must be internally shaped in some adequate manner to effectively hold the lead. Any of the usual ways of accomplishing this will suflice, such as slightly contracting the lower extremity of the tube I4, splitting said tube lengthwise to provide resilient fingers to grip the lead, or providing an ,internal tooth on said tube to bite slightly into the lead.

40 From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention. Whenever, it is necessary to feed more lead to 45 the pencil tip, itis simply necessary to pull upwardly upon the finger-piece 34 and then release same. The thumb or one linger of the hand using the pencil may conveniently be used for this purpose. The necessary pressure against 50 the linger-piece 34 incident to sliding it upwardly, of course pushes said finger-piece inwardly to some extent, relieving the wedge-like shank 36 from binding contact with the walls of the slot 23.

55 In' assembling, all parts contained within the inner casing 1, are downwardly slid into said casing, the magazine 24 being then turned to seat the stud in the notch 22, and the tube 21, sleeve 32 and linger-piece 34 being also turned to 60 move the shank 36 into the opening 20. The inner casing 1 and its contents are then upwardly slid into the outer casing 8, and the cap I1 is applied.

As excellent results may be obtained from the 65 details disclosed, they may well be followed. However, Within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made, as above stated.

I claim: 1. A lead pencil comprising a tubular casing 70 having a lead outlet lat, its lower end and leadgripping means to prevent accidental sliding of the lead in said outlet, lead-guiding means in said casing extending downwardly to said outlet and including a vertically slidable longitudinally split resilient tube, said split tube being selfcontractible to normally grip the leadr and being provided with lugs at opposite sides of its split, a sleeve slidably surrounding said split tube and having a finger-piece at the exterior of said casing by means of which it may be upwardly slid,

said sleeve being provided with a wedge underA said lugs to Erst lift said split tube as said sleeve is raised and to separate said lugs to expand said split tube when the latter reaches the limit of its upward movement, and spring means for sliding said split tube downwardly when said fingerpiece is released, said wedge being suiclently blunt to permit said lugs to immediately cam it downwardly from operative relation therewith as said split sleeve contracts upon release of said linger-piece, whereby said split sleeve will grip the lead as it is downwardly returned to its nor- -v malposition by said spring means.

2. A structure as speciied'in claim 1; the upper end of said split tube being provided with a head slidably contacting with the casing wall, said head ,having an upwardly open socket, and a xed lead-guiding tube in said casing having its lower end received in said socket and spaced above the bottom thereof, the upward sliding of said split tube being limited by said socket bottom striking said lower end of said xed tube. y

v 3. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with a lead magazine secured in said casing and having a iixed downwardly projecting lead discharging and guiding tube; the upper end of said split tube being provided with a head slidably contacting with the casing wall, said head having an upwardly open socket which receives the lower end of said iixed tube, the bottom of said socket being downwardly spaced from said lower end of said xed tube and coacting therewith in limiting the upward sliding of said split tube.

4. A structure as specified in claim l; together with an enlargement on the upper end of said split tube slidably contacting with the casing wall, and a xed lead-guiding tube in said casing under said split tube, said iixed tube having an enlarged upper end in which the lower end of said split tube is slidably received.

5. A structure as specied in claim 1; said sleeve being provided with a resilient arm carrying said finger-piece and having an outwardly tapered portion extending through a slot in the casing, said tapered portion being normally wedged in said slot to prevent accidental movement of said sleeve.

6. In a lead pencil, an inner tubular casing having a downwardly projecting lead-guiding tube, said inner casing having an opening near its lower end, a slot extending from said opening to its upper extremity, and a notch in one wall of said slot; means inserted downwardly into said inner casing for holding, guiding and feeding lengths of lead, said means including a lead magazine having a lateral stud received in said notch after downward passage through said slot, said means also including a manually operable leadfeeding member extending through said opening after downward passage through said slot; an outer tubular casing into which said inner casing is upwardly inserted, said outer casing having a downwardly open slot through which said manually operable memberY extends, and a hollow pointed cap closing the lower end of said outer casing vand receiving said downwardly projecting lead-guiding tube.

JAcoB GORDON. l 

